This is Only the Beginning RosexDimitri
by TeamVampireAcademy15
Summary: Rose loves her life and it's happy.Until she receives a terrifying note.A huge battle occurs between Dhampirs and Strigoi. Will Rose's life ever turn out happy again? Or will she lose her life? *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys, this is my first chapter of the follow up story to **_A Dimitri and Rose Sad Love Story._** I hope you like it! :)**

I shifted my stake and my stance as they—the Strigoi—were about to attack us. Alexandra was kidnapped by the Strigoi and I growled sharply. They smiled maliciously and then—I ran.

I ran so fast that they nearly didn't see it coming. But they did. Dimitri was fighting some other Strigoi—the ones who were holding Alexandra—and I was busy staking Strigoi.

A Strigoi caught up from behind me and suddenly sank his teeth into my neck. I screamed and I tried to struggle, but unfortunately, the idiotic endorphins—these ones stronger than a Moroi's—took over my body. But when I screamed, it echoed across the forest. To where Alex could hear it.

To where Dimitri could hear it.

I had never felt so scared in my entire life. Most of that fear was for Alex and Dimitri, but overall, it was for my own_ life._ I couldn't believe this was happening. I wished that I could wake up and realize this was all a dream. But I knew this had to be real. Had to be happening. But honestly? I'd rather die trying to protect the ones I love than die foolishly by a Strigoi's bite. He kept drinking and I felt myself fading out, fading away….

…

I woke up abruptly, panting as if it really happened. It felt as though it was more a premonition than a dream. Alex was beside me in my bed—thankfully safe and uninjured—and Dimitri wasn't in the spot I thought he was. I stood up, frantically searching for him.

I glanced at the clock, it said 6:55 A.M in bold red letters. The moon was coming up and I knew it was almost _'morning'_ (which meant nighttime for the human world) and I heard the shower turn off. Dimitri must be in the shower. I sighed quietly in relief while climbing back into bed, and closed my eyes.

I saw the dream very vividly behind my closed eyelids and I abruptly opened them. I was strong enough not to cry, because I knew it was a dream…or was it?

I shuddered slightly, and pushed it out of my head and closed my eyes, thinking of Dimitri, little Alexandra, (who was 5 years old, I'd had her when I was 17 and I was 22 years old now and of course Dimitri was 29) and my best friend Lissa.

I also spared a couple thoughts to Eddie, my valiant friend, and Mia, also one of my friends. Last time I'd heard, they were together and living here in the Royal Court.

I smiled at their relationship. It was nice.

Adrian hadn't found anyone last time I'd heard. But I hoped fervently he'd find someone soon that he really loved with all his heart. My smile faded as I thought of him. I didn't exactly like him that way, but I did love him, like he was my brother.

I was just not sure if he felt the same. Brotherly and sisterly love. Though he wasn't really my brother, I treated him like he was.

My eyes were still closed and I heard the bathroom door open and I opened one of my eyes a tiny bit. Dimitri was wrapped in just a towel and he was grabbing a pair of dark blue jeans and a brown turtleneck shirt—it was winter here at the Court—and he grabbed a thick jacket, but it wasn't a husky jacket. Just a thick enough one to keep him warm and he'd still look hot in it. Well, that was my opinion. He walked back into the bathroom and I opened both my eyes.

I got up—very quietly—and grabbed a pair of jeans and a long sleeved, short neckline, blue shirt that had a snowflake pattern.

I walked to the bathroom, (the door swung out instead of in) and right when I was going to open the door, the door swung out and hit me in the head pretty hard. I grunted and fell back against the wall next to the TV.

Dimitri stared at me, shocked, and knelt down to me, checking my head. I felt very dizzy and my head throbbed. "Rose, I think we need to get you to the Clinic. Your head is bleeding. Somehow. I didn't think it would hit that hard. Not that I was intentionally trying to hurt you."

He swept me into his arms but he hesitated, glancing at Alexandra. He gently laid me down on the bed, dialed a number on his phone, while having a overly worried expression on his face.

"Princess? Okay, fine. Lissa, can you watch Alex? I need to get Rose to the Clinic. No, no. Her head is just bleeding that's all. What happened? I don't know the full details but all I know is that I hit Rose in the head. The bathroom door swung out. Yeah, it swings out instead of in. Don't ask me, I don't know why. Okay, thank you Lissa. Okay. Bye."

He hung up and I put a hand to my head and felt stickiness on my hand. I began asking questions groggily. "Is Lissa coming over to watch Alex? And why was Lissa so worried? I'm f—" He interrupted me at that point by putting his hand to my mouth and put his arms under me and lifted me effortlessly.

He carried me out of the room and we went outside. People didn't stare as much anymore, but every now and then they glance at us, but it was usually just curious looks. Thankfully.

We were at the Clinic by this point and he carried me in and he didn't have to inform the secretary since my head was bleeding. She ushered us into one of the rooms, and Dimitri hurried in and set me down on the bed as carefully as if I was fragile.

"Can I have a mirror? I wanna see how bad the blood is."

Dimitri hesitated but the nurse handed me a mirror, one of those small ones, and I gaped at how much blood was gushing down my face. I suddenly felt like vomiting. I vomited abruptly all over the bed and I fell unconscious…..

**I know this was not as long but I had to hurry and write this so I could go to school. Review please :D**


	2. Last Sacrifice

_**~Chapter 2~**_

I woke up in the same room I was in before I passed out, and I noticed Dimitri was sitting on a chair across the room from me, next to the door, staring at me with a overly worried expression.

I noticed he had Alexandra asleep in his arms. There was a slight throb in my forehead that hurt.

I tried not to groan, but my efforts were useless. I groaned anyway. I was really weak; something I hated almost more than Strigoi.

I sat up carefully, since I had what looked like blood transfusion tubes. I suppressed the urge to shudder.

Dimitri stood up, holding Alexandra, and walked to the side of the bed I was lying in and carefully laid down Alex at the foot of the bed.

He pulled up a chair and sat down. He leaned forward, a concerned look on his face and a wild look in his eyes. I recognized the look in his eyes; it always comes into his eyes whenever he was overly concerned or worried about someone.

In this case, he was worried about me. Overly worried.

I sighed. "Dimitri…you really don't have to worry so much about me. I know you love me, but you can't just stay in this hospital, waiting to see if I'm all right. I'm f—" Again, like yesterday, he interrupted whenever I said the word_ fine._

"Rose. Do _not_ say that you are fine. I'll go crazy if you believe that you are 'fine'. You're not. Your head got majorly hurt, because of me—" I started to protest but he cut me off by pressing his forefinger to my mouth.

"I am not blaming myself; I know I did it unintentionally. I am just simply stating that you got hurt because of me.

"Not that I blame myself unnecessarily. I know I wouldn't. I hope you feel better Rose. You don't know how much I worry about you; I can't even begin to tell you how much. I love you, Roza, with all my heart. Well. Not_ all_ my heart, but half of it. You have half of my heart Roza, and Alexandra has the other half." He smiled at me, even though his eyes were full of worry and concern.

I nodded and was about to tell him my dreams I'd been having that always had seemed so scarily real, but I hesitated, biting my lip.

I looked down, my fingers absentmindedly twirling a strand of my hair.

"What is it Rose? Do you have something to tell me?" Dimitri asked curiously but with an undertone of worry in his voice.

I shook my head. "N-no. Of course not." The stutter in my voice gave me away and I had to look up. Dimitri's expression was slightly amused.

"What?" I demanded.

"Oh...it's nothing. Just that you suck at lying. Well, to me you suck at lying. Since I so obviously can tell when you lie. No offense." He added with a slight smirk.

I rolled my eyes but smiled at his expression. I sighed, my smile fading. I decided to inform him of the seemingly realistic dreams I'd been having.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you. But just so you know, you wanted to know about them. So yep. Last night, before I was here in the hospital, I was dreaming. Of a battle with Strigoi.

Alex was kidnapped by the Strigoi you were battling and I was battling a group of Strigoi.

All of a sudden, a male Strigoi—well I thought it was male—came up behind me, grabbing my waist and sank his teeth into my neck, making me fade out.

At first I thought it was real—considering it seemed so scarily realistic—but I woke up right when I died, therefore ending the dream. You wanted to know Dimitri. So now you know."

Dimitri's expression was at first horrified but then relaxed into a calm mask.

"It was just a dream, Rose. I highly doubt that would happen in reality."

" It actually felt more like a premonition Dimitri. I feel like…like I'm going to lose you and Alexandra. I feel as if I will live no more. Dimitri…this is the worst fear I've ever felt! I don't want to die! I don't want to lose my family." My voice dropped into a whisper at the last part.

Dimitri's hand reached across to stroke my cheek. I raised my hand and placed it on top of his hand, keeping it there.

"Roza…you won't lose us. I won't lose you. I can't lose you. It doesn't seem possible, it _isn't_ possible." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"Dimitri...almost anything is possible when it comes to us." I said dryly.

He nodded grimly. "I agree. But the thing is, Rose, you have to believe that you'll make it through instead of holding on to that fear. That would just make things harder, more complicated. Anything _is_ possible with us."

He sighed and pulled back his hand and stroked Alex's hair. He smiled slightly as he looked at our daughter. She yawned and turned over onto her back. Her eyelids fluttered and they opened.

She had beautiful chocolate brown eyes like Dimitri. And her lips were obviously from me. Her nose...well they were from me too. She, of course, was a dhampir, but she didn't have the curves I did yet.

She stretched like a cat and Dimitri chuckled. I was too far gone in my ocean of fear to laugh. I stared at her with concern plain on my face.

Right before she looked up at me, I forced a smile, so she wouldn't see the fear on my face. She grinned—looking a lot like me when she did so—and she leaped at Dimitri, who caught her with his arms and smiled at me over her shoulder.

Alex was giggling and gave Dimitri a long kiss on his cheek. I giggled at the sight—yes a real laugh, though I was still scared for them—and Dimitri kissed her hair.

"Daddy, I love you. You're the best, did you know that?" Alex said, grinning at him.

Dimitri opened his mouth but I spoke before he could say anything.

"Hey!" I said, teasingly offended

"Oopsie! Sorry mama. You both are the best! And I love you too mama!"

I chuckled. "I love you too sweetie. And thank you. Of course we're the best. We're the best guardians ever." I said proudly, my fear dimming but not erasing completely. Dimitri laughed and hugged Alexandra closer to him. He suddenly stood up, lifting her in the air as though she was an airplane and there was a huge, goofy grin on her face as she said,

"Wheeeee! I'm the queen of the world! Woohoo! WHEEE!"

I heard footsteps coming and Dimitri suddenly put her—slightly roughly—at the foot of the bed and she climbed up carefully to my side, snuggling closer to me. I smiled down at her.

The doctor came in and told us we were free to go, so long as I'm careful and not do things without thinking. Well. _That_ was going to be an impossibility for me. I always do things without thinking.

The doctor removed the blood transfusion tubes from my arms and walked out of the room.

I scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up, surprised that I didn't fall over from sitting in a bed for so long.

We walked out of the room, down the hall, out the door and outside into the Court. It was 'morning' (which was nighttime for the rest of the human world) and we were walking to our house we got apparently.

I was still too dizzy to name specifics of the house.

I walked upstairs and walked into the first room and flopped down on the bed on my backside.

I fell asleep, and almost instantly I was dreaming.

….

I was standing in a clearing in the middle of the forest somewhere near the Royal Court (I didn't know how I recognized that it was near the Court) and there was a battle in front of me.

I felt shock at the seemingly reality of the dream.

There was about 20-30 Strigoi, probably more, and about 30-50 guardians, probably less. Suddenly a random Strigoi came up at me and I staked him in the heart, not realizing I had a stake in my hand. I must have been waiting for a point to enter through to bust some Strigoi.

Another Strigoi came up at me and she was no random Strigoi. She was Galina. Dimitri's old teacher, before she became a Strigoi.

She sank her teeth into my neck and I screamed. It echoed across the forest, to where Alex could hear it, to where Dimitri could.

…...

I woke up abruptly, panting and sweating. I started crying almost immediately after I'd woke up. I had never felt this scared in my entire life.

Not when Dimitri left me. And many more near death experiences that left me fearing for my life. But none of them—_none_ of them came _close_ to what I was feeling now.

This fear was more than just fear. It was chilling, cold, fear. Enough to scare me to death.

Possibly literally.

Dimitri was asleep next to me, and Alex was asleep on her bed—in our room, since she wasn't ready to sleep by herself in her own room—and I didn't fall asleep until about 2:35 A.M.

I woke up the next day, feeling groggy and haggard. I yawned hugely and I noticed Dimitri standing frozen—figuratively—right next to Alex's bed.

He was in front of it, so I didn't see what was the matter at first.

I had to ask.

"Dimitri.." I said, a catch in my throat.

I cleared my throat and tried again.

"Dimitri, what is it what's wrong?"

He turned around slowly so I could see his face.

His expression scared me almost as much as the trembling, chilling fear did.

Tears were spilling down his face and he had such a horrified expression, that I got up and wrapped my arms around his waist—not caring that he was shirtless—and pressed my face against his chest.

"Roza…Alex is gone. Kidnapped."

I felt my eyes widen and tears flow down my cheeks. I hastily wiped them away and pulled away gently from Dimitri.

I looked at Alex's bed and knew that Dimitri was right. I couldn't believe it. No way.

There was a note on the bed and I immediately picked it up and read it.

It said,

_**Rose Hathaway…I've kidnapped your daughter. I've been sending you dreams that WILL come true. So if you want your daughter back, you must come to the southern end of the clearing nearest to where you live. Do not bring anyone besides yourself if you know what's best for you and your daughter. If you don't come, I will personally drink the blood of your daughter and kill her. If you come, your daughter will be returned to you. But that doesn't always mean you'll be safe. Remember…we're watching. ~Galina~**_

I stared at the note for one last second and ran to the door, only to have Dimitri stop me.

"Rose…I'm coming with you."

"No! You're not. If you want our daughter safe, then _I_ have to go. I'm so, so sorry Dimka, but I have to do this. For our daughter. I love you so much."

I stood up on my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck and our lips met. It was a very passionate kiss and unfortunately I had to pull away.

"Goodbye, Dimitri…Remember, you have the key to my heart." I grinned at him and turned around. My smile faded as I walked out the door, with one last glance at Dimitri, and then walked down the stairs.

I walked out the door. The moon was out but the Court was deserted. Some part of my mind vaguely wondered how they got into the court. Then I realized. They must be _outside_ the gate. I ran all the way to the gate-luckily, there was no guardian on duty; they probably figured that it would be safe enough or something like that-and outside into the forest. I broke into a run and it took about five minutes-for a fast runner-to arrive a couple yards away and I slowed down to a walk.

I arrived at the clearing and my premonition came true.

There were about 20 Strigoi there, in a sort of circle, all staring at me. I hid my stake in my jacket pocket zipped up and I prepared mentally for my fight to the death. To fight for those I love. To save the ones I love. To end the battle. Even if it means to give up my life for the last sacrifice.

**Hey guys, thanks for reading! Review please and I'll write more ;) Well, of course i'll write more even if you don't review ;) Anyway, tell me what you think :D i am not spoiling anything, but there is going to be a lot more dramatic...scenes as the story goes on. Well, I think there are. I'm likely to change my mind :) Bye! **


	3. To where my life was waiting

_**~Dimitri's POV~**_

I knew that I had to do something. If there was a pack of Strigoi outside the gates, then I _had _todo something about it.

An idea suddenly arrived in my mind and I knew what to do.

I grabbed my cell phone out of my jeans back pocket and dialed the number to the Guardian Headquarters.

"Guardian Tanner." Mikhail answered briskly.

"Mikhail, this is Dimitri. I need you to gather as much guardians are you can to the southern end of the forest outside the gates."

"On it. But why?"

"There's a pack of Strigoi outside the gates, not right outside but not too far away. Don't ask me how I know this. Just alert the guardians immediately."

"I'm on it."

I hung up and I snapped my phone shut and put it in my pocket. I ran downstairs, grabbed my stake, and raced out the door in a matter of seconds.

I was heading towards the Guardian Headquarters when Tasha ran into me.

"Hey, Dimka. I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"

I replied politely, "I apologize but I'm in a hurry. There's a pack of Strigoi in the forest near the gates on the south end. Come if you want to use your fire. Goodbye."

I sidestepped her and kept running, not wanting to stay and chat with her at the moment when there was so much more important things to worry about.

I arrived at the Headquarters and walked in, noticing at once every guardian rushing out and in.

Everyone was efficient, calm and swift, and preparing for the battle.

We had a short discussion of planning and then we were off.

_The sooner , the better_. I thought with determination.

I had hope for the first time since Rose had walked out the door.

I had hope that things were going to turn out okay.

I had hope that sweet little Alexandra would be safe.

I had hope that...Well, I wasn't sure if I had complete hope—or even any at all—that my Roza would be safe.

We'd have to wait and see, wouldn't we?

_**~Rose's POV~**_

I walked over to the middle of the clearing and they circled around me, so I couldn't escape. Galina walked through the crowd, walking straight towards me.

I risked speaking. "What do you want with me?" My voice was slightly shaky but I tried to control it so I could sound fierce.

Galina smiled as if I amused her. That was probably the only time I'd see her smile. Not that I cared.

"I want you dead. But we're going to play with our food before we eat…" She chuckled maliciously and then snapped her fingers and the crowd of Strigoi backed away, leaving only one male Strigoi.

He grinned maliciously and there was a look in his eyes that made me shiver.

He was only eight or nine steps away from me and then he ran towards me with that lightning speed that all Strigoi had, and grabbed my shoulder with his hand and pushed me towards the ground.

He very abruptly—so abruptly it made me freeze up in total shock—started kissing my lips and then went down to my neck and sank his teeth into my neck.

He drank my blood and then suddenly pulled away, looking at me with a very strange look in his eyes. It looked almost like…regret? No. No way. That's impossible for Strigoi. I must have been imagining it.

"Rose…I'm Jesse. You know me. My last name is Zeklos. I want you to be with me. And I'm going to awaken you. Into one of _us._" He said the last word with glory.

I rolled my eyes so I couldn't reveal the fear on my face that was trembling inside of me. "Jesse? No. I do not want to be a Strigoi. _NO!_" I yelled and struggled as hard as I could. He growled sharply and pressed against me harder. He sank his teeth into my neck and I knew I wasn't going to die completely out of this world.

I was going to be a Strigoi against my will.

As the blood was draining out of me, slowly yet somehow swiftly, I very vaguely noticed someone grab Jesse and throw him across the forest.

I looked up and in that moment, I believed in miracles. Why? Because Dimitri was standing right there, fighting off Strigoi who were coming at him. For some reason, I had the strength to stand up; apparently I hadn't lost that much blood, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to stand up.

I unzipped my jacket pocket and grabbed my stake. I ran towards the middle of the clearing to where Galina was. I was staking Strigoi on the way. I wasn't going to be weak. Not again.

I arrived where Galina was holding Alexandra in a weird but horrifying position. Galina was holding her by the waist—she was a small sized 5 year old—and Alex's neck was right next to Galina's fangs.

"Let go of her!" I shouted in a growl, amazingly. Dimitri was fighting a Strigoi and he staked her. He ran up to me, standing by my side, with an expression that resembled a storm cloud; his expression was murderously furious.

His eyes narrowed, calculating, probably planning mentally.

I ran up to her—without thinking—and grabbed Alexandra and right when I was about to turn on my heel to run back to Dimitri,

I felt something slash my back and Alex flipped suddenly out of my arms in a backwards flip and ran toward Dimitri; I barely noticed this before fading into the white light that seemed to consume me….

_Maybe this is what heaven looks like…_I thought dreamily. _So beautiful…so precious…It's like I'm dead…Maybe I am…_

**Author's Note: **_**Before**_** you freak out in a review about what happened to Rose, I just want you to know that it's my story and that I can do what I want with it. Say, like, Rose dies and then comes back to earth—not by spirit from Lissa—and so on. **

**Or I could make Rose die completely…but I doubt you guys want that, since Rose is one of the main characters of the story. Sorry; here's the story. :)**

_**~Dimitri's POV~**_

I stared in horror at Galina. Rose was about to turn on her heel and then—before I could do or say anything—she grabbed a sword off the ground and slashed Rose on the back and blood gushed out. Alex did a backwards flip and ran to me. I put her in another guardian's care—whom I trusted. I stared in horror.

Galina laughed maliciously at my expression and I growled so sharply while I took out my stake that I swore I saw fear in her eyes behind that menace. She smiled maliciously—though I swore I saw her lips trembling slightly—and then she ran out of her spot so fast, that if I'd blinked, I wouldn't have noticed her departure.

The rest of the Strigoi ran after her. I ran to Rose and my eyes bulged at how much blood she'd lost. I turned her over on her back and my horrified expression turned to heartbreak and anger and much more depressing emotions as I saw her face.

Her eyes were blank, seeing nothing. Her face was as pale as a Strigoi, though I knew she wasn't a Strigoi. She was…I forced myself to think the word because my heart didn't want to believe it, _Dead._

I _couldn't_ believe it. I _wouldn't _believe it. Rose couldn't have left me, she was too strong. But…I also had to factor in that she must have not expected it, so…so she faltered.

I didn't blame her—when have I ever blamed her?—because I hadn't expected it either. It's not that common for a Strigoi to use a sword against their prey, but it's not unheard of.

My heart tore to shreds—figuratively—as I stared at Rose's pale face. Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I didn't bother wiping them away. I could feel a number of guardians staring at me, but I didn't really care at the moment.

All I cared was that Rose was gone. Out of my life. I stood up, surprised to see that I felt steady on my feet. I carried Rose while murmured to Guardian Alto, "Get a funeral ready; Rose is gone." I was also surprised to see that my voice was steady. Wow.

But inside, my feelings weren't steady at all; they were twisting and churning into anger and sadness and grief and pain and slowly morphing into depression.

Stan nodded—I didn't feel surprise this time as I vaguely noticed a tear sliding down his cheek—and he ran to the other guardians. I walked—while carrying Roza—up the path towards the gates. When we got to the gates, one of the guardians opened the gates and we walked in.

I didn't know what to do when Lissa found out. She was Rose's best friend. And unfortunately Lissa ran towards me with Christian following behind her.

I stopped walking as they stared, wide eyed, at Rose in my arms. At first Lissa was stunned, but then she broke into tears that I didn't blame her for—Why would I blame Lissa?—and then her tears slowed as I noticed a familiar look in her eyes.

"Maybe…Maybe she's just hurt!" She said in a half-hopeful tone. I sighed and replied.

"I'm sorry, Lissa, but I'm afraid she's…dead. Gone." This time, I couldn't keep my voice from breaking at the end of my sentence. I just wanted to sit in my room and think of the memories.

"No…Rose!" She sobbed, tears filling her eyes and overflowing down her cheeks. Christian wrapped his arms around her, a tear or two sliding down his cheeks.

"We're going to set up a funeral for her and you're welcome to come, Lissa, Christian. She'd want you there with her along with her other friends."

They nodded and I gave Lissa credit for being at least a little bit brave.

They walked away, Lissa crying a little and leaning into Christian's side who wrapped an arm around her.

And then I noticed, to the right of me in a clearing in the forest near the airport, that there was already a funeral set up and a casket in front of the hundreds of chairs.

I walked over, my expression composed, carrying Rose's body towards the casket. The pictures engraved on the coffin had all of Rose's favorite people, and things she'd liked to do, and places she'd wanted to go. Russia was one of them, in bold red letters on the coffin. It was small enough so figures of people she liked or loved were on the casket

The casket was blood red—Rose's favorite color—with black on the sides of the coffin. _She would have loved this coffin_, I thought with a very, very, very slight smile. So slight that no one even noticed. I shrugged and laid her down in the casket, putting her hands intertwined on top of her chest.

I looked behind me—very unwillingly—and noticed Lissa running to the first chair she could find in the first row.

The casket was behind the stage with the podium, and a couple guardians were adjusting the microphone, so when someone spoke it would be loud and clear, just not _too_ loud.

I walked up, asking if they needed any help and they replied, "If you're good with technology." And they smiled.

"I am. I just don't like to brag." I half smiled wistfully and they said, "Sure. Go ahead. We're having trouble, and we were about to ask another guardian until you showed up." And they grinned this time.

After I was done adjusting the microphone, I tested it, and it worked. The guardians stared at me in amazement. And I said in a confused tone, "What?"

They shook their heads and said, "Nothing." Then, as they walked off, I heard one of them muttering to the other, "He really _is_ good at everything!" in amazement.

I sighed and walked down the steps from the stage and noticed there was almost every person in their seats. I sighed quietly again and thought to myself,_ If I really WAS good at everything, I would have had the ability to save Rose. _My heart clenched painfully and the funeral began. Some people Rose knew stood up to talk and then, it was Lissa's turn to speak.

Her voice was steady as she spoke.

"If someone else had lost their best friend and said, "She _was_my best friend," I wouldn't say the word _was._ She _is_ my best friend, even though she's passed on. Rose was amazing at everything, and some people mutter behind my back saying idiotic things about Rose.

"I love Rose; she's my best friend forever even if I live and she dies. Which in that case did happen. I would have said several months ago, back at the Academy, that if I'd lost Rose indefinitely, then I wouldn't be able to survive.

"But I know now she would have wanted me to live as long as I could and have someone protect me. Like, Dimitri Belikov." I smiled and she continued.

"She said long ago, again back at the Academy, that if she'd ever died young, she would have wanted Dimitri to protect me. There isn't anyone else that would protect me as well as Dimitri can if she were gone.

"Rose was also witty, and had an attitude, but she protected those she cared about. It's true she had a temper, but there are things that people say around here that aren't true about Rose.

"Rose is in a better place, away from all the idiotic rumors that had surrounded her. Let's all give a moment by bowing our heads and closing our eyes to show respect."

We all did so and then after a moment we raised our heads and opened our eyes.

"I hope you all learn that rumors aren't always true. And even if they were, it is unkind and very rude. Rose Hathaway was a great woman."

She left the stand and sat down next to Christian and her murmured something in her ear which made her blush and say something back.

I was sitting in the second row, on the right side—there was an aisle between the chairs—and they were getting ready to bury the casket when there was a groan that came from somewhere.

The guardians froze as they were about to bury the casket, and I stood up and looked around. No one in the audience seemed hurt.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. I went up to the stage and said through the microphone, "Is anyone hurt? Who made that groan? And where is it coming from?"

Everyone in the audience shook their head, shrugged, and pointed towards the casket. I suppressed a shudder at that and turned around.

I saw the most shocking and surprising thing I ever saw. Rose was stretching. And I mean _stretching_, like you just woke up from a long nap. My eyes bulged. Rose couldn't have faked it. No way. This wasn't possible.

My mind was chaotic and my heart was beating hard and fast in my chest. Rose yawned and when she opened her eyes, they were the same brown I'd come to know before she died.

I very nearly passed out as Rose sat up and then stood up and stepped out of the casket.

She blushed but smiled as everyone stared at her shock. I stared at her with disbelief.

"Hey everyone. What's going on?" She flipped her over her shoulder so she could see us better. For some really stupid reason, I felt anger.

I walked up to her, looked at her straight in the eye, and she leaned back, shock plain in her eyes.

"You were supposed to be dead, Rose!" I unthinkingly yelled at her. The shock in her eyes, turned to hurt and she replied in a smooth tone.

"I know I was 'supposed' to be dead, but I somehow came back to reality. But Dimitri, it was _so _beautiful up there! I loved it! Though I missed you guys like crazy, I actually saw my grandparents! It was just plain _amazing!_

"Everything was glorious and white and precious—and it wasn't on clouds by the way—and it was just _beautiful!_ Gorgeous!"

She sighed in contentment and twirled around—I noticed she was wearing a white, strapless dress, with no neckline but it still clung to her—and she came up to me and hugged me around the waist, laying her head against my chest.

Everyone was staring at me with disbelieving looks on their faces and then Lissa came running up the stage and grabbed Rose's hand—not roughly—and pulled her into a tight hug with Lissa sobbing on Rose's shirt.

I couldn't believe Rose was alive. And she was as beautiful as if she never died. I suddenly believed in miracles with a fierce intensity. I was more than happy Rose was alive; I was ecstatic. Joy sprung up inside me and I finally felt alive, more alive than I have been since…well, it hadn't even been a day yet! The sun was shining (they'd switched to daylight schedule, to be safe) and the birds were actually chirping, singing their song.

Lissa stopped sobbing and Rose teasingly complained that her shirt was wet. Lissa, knowing Rose well, laughed.

"Well, Rose, why don't you explain your…arrival to the dumbstruck guardians. Oh. They're probably angry because, well, they spent a lot of money on just your casket." She chuckled again.

Rose looked to me nervously. I nodded in encouragement and smiled. She half smiled and turned to the other guardians.

"I came back because…I was lonely. And I bet you're thinking how I actually came back. Well, that's because I was so messed up without my life—since I died young—and so lonely, the angels let me come down to earth. Simple as that. But they don't let just anyone come down. I can't tell you the reason; it's confidential. But I can tell you this: I came back because they knew I'm in love with Dimitri Belikov.

"When I was 17, people would've thought it was scandalous; an embarrassment. But now I'm alive. Again. But it feels like the first time that I'm alive…I feel so new."

_***Rose's POV* (Next Day)**_

I was now officially holding hands with Dimitri in public. No one seemed to care; some smiled at us, some rolled their eyes at us. But I didn't really care about those who did roll their eyes at us. All I cared was that I was with Dimitri and our Alexandra.

Me and Lissa had been hanging out in the past few weeks, since I'd come back alive. I'd spent half of that time with Dimitri and Alex. Dimitri had proposed to me—on the Court grounds, where everyone could witness it—and I had screamed. My answer was—obviously—yes!

My ring was so beautiful, it came all the way from Russia. Apparently, it was a hand me down from his grandmother. I was especially happy when Alex was as happy as I was. I loved seeing her expression light up like the fourth of July!

I was in my room—in our gorgeous sea blue house—and the master bedroom was blood red with chocolate brown—it always reminded me of Dimitri's eyes—moldings. I was lying in mine and Dimitri's huge bed, with mosquito netting hanging over us, and Dimitri was lying next to me. His arms tightened around me and we just lay there, not speaking much.

It felt right, complete being with Dimitri and our daughter. In years to come, she'll be a teenager and I'll probably be in my 30's.

I sighed in contentment and Dimitri spoke suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Roza…what are you planning to do when Alex grows up?"

"I know one thing for sure: I'll be married to you and we'll be together…forever. But Dimitri...?"

"Yes, my beautiful desert Rose?"

I smiled. "This is only the beginning."

_***10 years later***_

I was officially 32 years old, and Alexandra was 15 years old. Dimitri—since we were always 7 years apart—was 39 years old.

I'd already had—amazingly within 10 years and during our first 3 years of marriage; yes, me and Dimitri were married now—2 more daughters and 2 sons.

Our sons were twins and they were both 6 years old, but our daughters weren't twins. Anna—the second oldest, who was 7 years old—looked a lot like me-and Kayla—who was 5 years old and looked half like me and half like Dimitri.

Our sons names were Alek and Ryan.

We continued to have a happy life as a family and, though there were ups and downs, we weren't perfect. I took guardian shifts off to spend time with my family and Dimitri, and our lives continued…not the same routine but happily and we got through any trial, anything we faced, we'd face it.

My life was absolutely wonderful, though never perfect. I smiled as I walked Lissa to her house—where she was married to Christian and had six kids together—and thought about the time where I died and came back to reality.

For some reason, I laughed softly at that.

Lissa turned to me and asked, "What's so funny?"

I shook my head and replied, "It's just that when I died, I thought I'd never come back. But I realize now, that I'm grateful, completely and eternally grateful. And why it's funny? Well, my life seems perfect, yet never perfect. I doubt that's funny to you."

She smiled and we said our goodbyes and I walked home, to where Dimitri was waiting.

To where my life was waiting.

**Author's Note: Sorry guys, but since I did more than enough words on this chapter, I'm not going to write any more chapters on this. :( I hope you review and tell me what you think! Thanks! XD**


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